Introduction to basic concepts of optical communication systems, optical fibers, types of fibers (single mode, multi-mode, silicon-PMMA, step-graded index), waveguiding though ray optics, Maxwell’s equations, Helmholtz equation, transversal modes, dispersion (group velocity, waveguide, chromatic), waveguide losses, bandwidth, non linear effects such as: cross phase modulation, four wave mixing. Optical sources: lasers, LEDs, spontaneous and stimulated emission, lasing threshold, longitudinal modes, tyes of lasers, noise in laser systems, modulation bandwidth and modulation techniques. Optical receivers, quantum efficiency, noise, bandwidth, sensitivity and demodulation circuits. Design and evaluate different optical system architectures in terms of power budget, optical dispersion. Analysis of coherent optical communication links and multi-channel approaches.

The course offers to the students an in-depth introduction to the field of optical-communications, by analyzing critical components such as optical emitters, receivers, optical fibers and by realistic optical links taking into consideration different technical specifications and architectures.

In detail students, after the succesfull completion of the course, will:

• will have the necessary knowledge to identify the building blocks of an optical link alongside their basic properties and key parameters. Will be able to analyze specific modulation formats and multiplexing techniques, know the physical mechanisms involved in optical waveguides anf optical fibers, the basic light generation mechanisms (stimulated-spontanous emission), the electro-optic circuits for optical signal detection/conversion. Knowledge over transmission effects such as disperssion and nonlinearities (cross phase modulation self phase modulation, four-wave-mixing etc.)
• Student will have the ability to perform basic calculation regarding optical links such as power budget, maximum bandwidth, distances between successive repeaters-amplifiers, detector's sensitivity etc. Perform calculation for disperssion compensation. 
• Students will be able to desing fuly functional communication links, evaluate and optimize deployment architecture, modulation formats, type of fibers whereas they will be able by using transmission theory and lasing theory to extract-model specifications for the building blocks (lasers, PDs, fibers, EDFAs etc.)

Not required.

Lectures, resolving exercises, Laboratory Exercises.

Face-to-face